News

Hayward: Armed robbery takes place inside busy Toys R Us

By Natalie Neysa Alund Bay Area News Group

Posted:
03/27/2013 10:42:17 AM PDT

Updated:
03/27/2013 05:28:54 PM PDT

Surveillance camera image of the men who robbed a Toys R Us.

Click photo to enlarge

Police say two men used a silver revolver to rob a Hayward Toys R Us store of several iPods Tuesday afternoon and may be connected to a similar robbery at a Pinole Toys R Us store earlier the same day. (Hayward Police Department)

HAYWARD -- Two men, one armed with a silver revolver, robbed a busy Toys R Us late Tuesday afternoon, and police said the incident may be connected to another Toys R Us robbery in Pinole earlier that day.

Officers responded at 5:15 p.m. to 24011 Hesperian Blvd. after an employee dialed 911 to report an armed robbery at the business near West Winton Avenue, Hayward police Sgt. Eric Melendez said.

Employees told police that two men entered the store, approached an employee in the electronics department and asked for help with iPods.

As the employee bent down to open a case full of iPods, police said, one of the suspects tapped the employee on the shoulder and said, "Look."

The suspect then pointed to his waistband and revealed a large silver revolver, Melendez said.

That suspect then told the employee to walk away. As the employee complied with the armed suspect's demands, the second suspect reached down and grabbed seveal iPods from the case, Melendez said.

The suspects then walked out of the store.

Police described the armed suspect as African-American, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 250 pounds and between 25 and 30 years old. He was wearing a white and yellow striped polo shirt, blue jeans and a gray Chicago Bulls hat. The second suspect was described as African-American, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 160 pounds, with short black hair. He was wearing a button-up, short-sleeved shirt with green writing on it, gray jeans and black and white shoes.

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Melendez said police are reviewing video surveillance of the men inside the store.

Earlier in the day, a similar robbery involving Apple products took place inside a Toys R Us in Pinole, police said.

That incident took place at 12:06 p.m. at the Toys R Us in the 1300 block of Fitzgerald Drive, police Cmdr. Peter Janke said.

He said a man walked into the store and asked to see an iPod touch. When the clerk opened the cabinet, the suspect reached for one of the devices.

The suspect then pushed the clerk out of the way, told him that he had a gun , then grabbed three iPod touches and walked out of the store, Janke said.

Police described that suspect as an African-American man, 20 to 30 years old, 6 feet 2 inches tall and 185 pounds. He wore a blue St. Louis Cardinals jersey and may have fled the parking lot in a black 7 Series BMW.

Janke said police believe the robberies may have been connected but did not say how.

The robberies remained under investigation Wednesday.

Anyone with information about the incidents can call police at 510-293-7000 or at the anonymous tip line at 510-293-7197.